Sundsvedja. Photo: Sanna-Mari Kunttu Salo, Kimitoön, Pargas, Teijo and Archipelago National Park Spectacular silence – Explore the Southwest Coast and Archipelago of Finland

Take some time for yourself and come savour the season of silence at the wonderful sights of Salo, Destinations Kimitoön and Pargas as well as and the unique nature 1. Kultalähde spring of Teijo and the Archipelago National Park. in Salo 2

Many visitors come to the coast and archipelago to find peace and quiet 2. Teijo National Park 2 in the summer, but the best time to experience true silence begins in 3. Senatsberget Hill in the autumn and continues through the winter right up to the threshold Dalsbruk 3 of summer. Silence does not just mean the absence of noise. It can 4. Sundsvedja also be found in the low whispering of wind through the treetops, the in Söderlångvik 3 soft fluttering of falling snow, the swish of a fishtail in the water or the distant hoot of an owl. To hear these, you have to stop and let your 5. Vänö 4 senses sharpen. Silence is best savoured at dusk and in the dark. Indeed, 6. Örö 4 when you’re out on the coastline and in the archipelago, you will find 7. Jurmo 5 yourself far from the glow of light pollution. 8. Brännskär 6

In this guide, we’ll give you the best tips on where to find silence. The 9. Nagu 6 season of silence is the very best remedy for noise and light pollution. 10. Korpo 7 11. Houtskär 8 > Explore the route with the virtual guide (storymaps.arcgis.com) > The route video (youtube.com) 1. Kultalähde spring in Salo Kultalähde spring is a little gem hidden away in the protected Hyyppärä ridge area in Kiikala, Salo. Glittering in the heart of the forest, the crystal clear Kultalähde spring is two to three metres deep and one of the most important springs in Southern Finland. Photo: Jarmo Markkanen Jarmo Photo:

A nature trail in the ridge area leads to Kultalähde. Please keep in mind that endangered plant species The two alternative trail routes (2.7 km and 1.8 km) grow on the banks of Kultalähde spring and the are demanding due to the differences in elevation banks are vulnerable to wear. Do not circle the spring and suitable for fit people of every age. along its banks. Fishing in the spring is not allowed. There is no winter maintenance at the site. Nighttime visitors to the spring can see the starry sky reflected in the calm water of the spring. When Sights and services hiking the trail in the autumn, the deep green • Hyyppärä-Kultalähde nature trail map (visitsalo.fi) colours of the ridgeline forest are breathtaking. In • Visit Salo (visitsalo.fi) the spring, hikers will be treated to a blue sea of liverwort. Location and connections • Oinasjärventie 366, Salo (parking lot) One of the highest points in Southwest Finland, • No public transport, nor specific roads for which rises 140 metres above sea level, is found in cycling. Drive carefully on small roads. Hyyppärä.

2. Teijo National Park In Teijo National Park, spring, autumn and winter are the best times for visitors wanting peace and quiet. The park’s diverse nature and numerous trails, activities and services offer hikers arriving alone or with their family invigorating and relaxing experiences. Photo: Jasmin Yuchun Jasmin Photo:

Enjoy the soothing aroma of sphagnum in the mire. sleep like a baby in one of the accommodations Hike around lakes and take a daring dip in rejuve- in the ironworks villages of Kirjakkala, Teijo and nating natural water. On snowshoes in a peaceful Mathildedal. winter landscape. Sights and services Hikers can immerse themselves in the solitude of • Teijo National Park (nationalparks.fi) nature or the modern-day life of historic ironworks. • Teijo ironworks villages (visitsalo.fi) The Coastal Route for cyclists runs from Salo to the ironworks village of Kirjakkala, from which trails into Location and connections the deep forests of the national park start. • Teijo Nature Centre address: Matildanjärventie 84, 25660 Mathildedal (Salo) See a star-studded sky by overnighting in a hut, tent • By bus and car (nationalparks.fi) or Tentsile Tree Tent. After a day outdoors, you’ll • Cycling route and rentals (rannikkoreitti.fi)

2 3. Senatsberget Hill in Dalsbruk Senatsberget hill in Dalsbruk is a stately mound, which offers a breathtaking view of Kimito’s forests and the Archipelago Sea. The wellness trail leading to the Senatsberget observation tower and lean-to shelter is one of the longest, most diverse nature trails on the island. Photo: Sanna-MariPhoto: Kunttu

Information boards along the wellness trail explain Sights and services how hikers can energise themselves and relax on • Wide range of services in Dalsbruk village the trail as well as how spending time in nature and approximately 3 km from the start of biodiversity affect human health. the wellness trail (visitkimitoon.fi).

A firewood shelter can be found at the foot of Senats- Location and connections berget. You can carry firewood up to the summit, • Address for the start of the Senatsberget where you can make a campfire in the log lean-to Wellness Trail: Tullinmäentie 5, 25900 Dalsbruk shelter fire pit. Marked by yellow trail markers, the (Kimito). There is car and motorcycle parking length of the circle trail is 6.3 km. Hikers should walk on Hertsbölentie near the lean-to shelter. the trail in a clockwise direction. Read more about the • Bus, car, ferry and ship traffic (visitkimitoon.fi) trail route and well-being tips on the Senatsberget • Bike rentals and cycling route (rannikkoreitti.fi) Wellness Trail Story Map (visitkimitoon.fi). • Dalsbruk service and guest harbours (visitkimitoon.‌fi) – approx. 400 m from the start of the wellness trail and 3 km to the lean-to shelter.

4. Sundsvedja in Söderlångvik The trail leading to the Sundsvedja lean-to shelter offers magnificent views of the Purunpää Nature Reserve and Archipelago Sea. The nature trail is located in Kimitoön on the land of Söderlångvik Manor. The other nature trails on the manor land also take hikers to charming local buildings, Bronze Age graves and a wartime airfield. Photo: Sanna-MariPhoto: Kunttu

Hike from the manor to the seashore through manor to take in its charming milieu and have a apple orchards. Take the trail up to the rocks of lunch break at the Sundsvedja lean-to shelter. Långviksudden, where there is a log lean-to shelter and campfire sites. It is an approximately 2.5 km From May to September, you can also visit the hike from the manor to the lean-to shelter. The trail Söderlångvik Museum to learn more about the life is clearly marked and the lean-to shelter is ideal for of important patron of the arts, Amos Anderson, stargazing. and see his art collection. Have lunch at the manor café-restaurant and purchase local delicacies all year Söderlångvik is located on the popular Coastal round. Route. While on a cycling tour, you can stop by the

3 Sights and services Location and connections • Söderlångvik Manor (soderlangvik.fi) • Manor address: Amos Andersonintie 2, 25870 Dragsfjärd (Kimitoön) • Bus and car traffic (visitkimitoon.fi) • Cycling route and rentals (rannikkoreitti.fi) • Guest pier (soderlangvik.fi)

5. Vänö Vänö is a genuine paradise island for anyone seeking peace and quiet. Only around fifteen people live on the island – during the colder months, life on the island is extraordinarily quiet. Photo: Sanna-MariPhoto: Kunttu

The island has two marked trails. The longer trail on the island is only open during the summer. If you makes a partial loop past sheep paddocks, through are looking for a little extra excitement, you can take a black alder grove and over bare rock. The other the guided Vänö ghost tour, which tells about folk nature trail runs to the southeast part of the island traditions and suspenseful tales. along a cart path to a tar-scented chapel and a swimming beach. The current chapel was built in Sights and services 1975, but historical records tell that a chapel stood • Vänö (vano.fi) here in the 1600s. Location and connections Visitors to the island should set aside a day or two • Ferry service to Vänö (ferry.fi) and book a cottage stay in advance. Visitors should • Bus, car and ferry traffic (visitkimitoon.fi) bring along their own food, as the little general store • Guest harbour (visitkimitoon.fi)

6. Örö The most diverse island in the Archipelago National Park is a popular tourist attraction in the summer. During the cooler part of the year, Örö is different, quiet and tranquil, and you can experience its nature in complete silence. Photo: Jarmo Vehkakoski Jarmo Photo:

In the spring and autumn, the fortunate visitor will Walk the island’s cobblestone roads in the footsteps be able to see a wide variety of Arctic bird species of soldiers from a bygone time and learn about the along the shoreline and on islets - perhaps even a history of the coastal fortifications from the era of seal or two. Örö’s trails are easy to hike and bike, Russian czars to the present day. The buildings of the even in the winter. You can explore old-growth old garrison area, the mighty Obuhov cannons and forests, meadows and rocky shorelines. the fortification structures have been marvellously

4 preserved. The legendary Bengtskär lighthouse, Sights and services whose fate on Örö played a decisive role, can be • Accommodations, saunas, restaurant, seen out on the distant horizon. shop, guided excursions and guest harbour prebooking (visitoro.fi) Because there are many endangered plant species • Campground, trail network and and biotopes as well as valuable cultural heritage exhibitions (nationalparks.fi) sites on the island, visitors are expected to comply with the national park rules and regulations when Location and connections walking about on the island or boating on the • Scheduled ferry service from Kasnäs (Kimitoön) surrounding water. and other transport services (nationalparks.fi) • Bus, car and ferry traffic (visitkimitoon.fi) • Guest harbour (nationalparks.fi)

7. Jurmo Iurima Ultima – the southernmost and nearest sea. This old name for Jurmo dates back to the Middle Ages, when the island most likely had a permanent settlement. Winter visitors to the island can enjoy the season of complete silence. Photo: SampoPhoto: Kiviniemi

Jurmo’s long history is also evident on the island Ferry to Jurmo leaves from Pärnäs harbour in Nagu, today, such as in its mystical stone rings, chapel which can be reached from Turku and Parais by ruins, fishing structures and airfield remains. The Archipelago Bus. Scheduled ferry service runs all Jurmo cultural path takes the visitor on a journey year round and the trip takes about three hours. into the island’s fascinating past. The island nature makes an impression with its traditional landscape, Sights and services its nearly treeless heather meadows and its broad • Archipelago National Park nature trails, Nature rock shorelines. In times past, cattle grazed on the Information Hut and campground (nationalparks.fi) meadows. Today, you’ll also find a herd of alpaca • Jurmo Inn (jurmoinn.fi) there. On Jurmo, you’ll encounter other animals too: • Jurmo Huts (jurmo.com, in Finnish) seals and countless different bird and owl species. • Jurmo Cultural Path (outdooractive.com) A large number of visitors come to the island during • Visit Jurmo on a virtual tour (earth.‌app.goo.gl) the summer boating and holiday season as well as during the spring and autumn bird migrations. Location and connections Jurmo island is the last terrestrial stretch of the • Ferry from Pärnäs Nagu (ferry.fi) Salpausselkä ridgeline, which cuts across the entire • Bus, car and ferry traffic (visitpargas.fi) width of Finland. • Guest harbour (visitpargas.fi)

The eastern and western tip of the island are part of the Archipelago National Park, and visitors to the park Nature Information Hut will find a wealth of information on plants, animals and environmental change. When visiting Jurmo, please keep the island’s vulnerable nature in mind and stay on the trails.

5 8. Brännskär When darkness falls on the archipelago, a stunning blanket of stars spreads out over Brännskär. You can also enjoy the breathtaking archipelago nature, sea and silence under the night sky. ©Living Archipelago

Brännskär island has an old fisherman’s farm, whose round. The families provide services to tourists in beautiful buildings and traditional setting are co-operation with Åboland Archipelago Foundation, also open to visitors. The café at the small visitor’s which is one of the island’s owners. harbour serves freshly baked bread and smoked fish. In the summer, the café is open every day. In May Belonging to the Archipelago City of Pargas, and September it is open on weekends. Brännskär is located approximately four kilometres from the island of Kirjais in Nagu. A ferry from On the nature trail you can see the diverse island Kirjais serves the island all year round. The trip takes nature, with everything from lush, fast-growing approximately twenty minutes. forests to old, lichen-rich forests, from rocky shores to sand and pebble beaches. Sights and services • Brännskär on a virtual tour (earth.‌app.‌goo.gl) Brännskär offers accommodations and services all year round. Children and adults alike love the Location and connections island trails, local food and even fishing excursions. • Ferry from Pärnäs Nagu (ferry.fi) In the summer, musical and theatre events are held • Bus, car and ferry traffic (visitpargas.fi) on the island. Two families live on Brännskär year • Guest harbour (brannskar.fi)

9. Nagu Nagu is a charming archipelago community with a bustling daily life, especially in the summer. At other times of the year, Nagu has plenty of space, peace and quiet and is the ideal place for a leisurely stroll, watching bird migrations and stargazing. Photo: Katri Lehtola Photo:

Nagu’s nature and cultural paths can be easily the outer archipelago, from the buildings of an old reached from the guest harbour and marketplace. parish village to wide open fields. Along the paths, you’ll find a host of fascinating sights, such as a stone labyrinth, a Bronze Age grave, The popular Archipelago Harvest Festival is held the childhood landscapes of Finnish painter Victor in Nagu each autumn, when the Nagu marketplace Westerholm and the old village of Ernholm. and the south harbour of Nagu village are filled with tasty local delicacies, market stands and visitors. Nature in Nagu ranges from the lush vegetation of the inner archipelago to the bare rocky islets of

6 A ferry serving other islands, including Seili, departs Sights and services from Nagu harbour all year round. In the summer, • Visit Pargas (visitpargas.fi) the ferry also serves Turku and Gullkrona from Nagu • Nature and cultural paths (visitpargas.fi) harbour. The ferry from Pärnäs harbour runs as far as • Visit the stone labyrinth in Finby village Utö Island. (Nagu) on a virtual tour (earth.app.goo.gl)

Kirjais harbour has a service harbour, café, village Location and connections shop and nature path. The ferry departing from • Ferry traffic (ferry.fi) Kirjais harbour serves, among others, Berghamn in • Bus, car and ferry traffic (visitpargas.fi) the Archipelago National Park. • Nagu The Archipelago and Small Archipelago Trail (visitpargas.fi) • St Olav Waterway route (outdooractive.com) • Guest harbours (visitpargas.fi)

10. Korpo Vistors coming to Korpo outside of the summer months will be amazed by the stormy autumn sea and the silence of winter. It’s easy to reach Korpo all year round – just two ferries away from Pargas. Korpo’s main island, Kyrklandet offers a full range of services all year round. Photo: Katri Lehtola Photo:

Korpo enjoys an active social life, a big selling point Sights and services for families with children, artists and entrepreneurs • Visit Pargas (visitpargas.fi) wanting to move here. The Barefoot Path in • The Barefoot Path (barfotastigen.com) Österretais exhibits the work of Finnish and foreign • Archipelago Centre Korpoström artists which portray the human relationship with (skargardscentrum.fi) nature and nature’s influence on humankind. Location and connections While visiting Archipelago Centre Korpoström, you • Ferry traffic (ferry.fi) can also see a memorial commemorating the sea • Bus, car and ferry traffic (visitpargas.fi) battle at Korpoström, which was fought between • The Archipelago Trail (visitpargas.fi) Sweden and Russia in 1743. You can also see cultural • St Olav Waterway route (outdooractive.com) artefacts from Korpo’s more distant past in the 15th • Guest harbours (visitpargas.fi) century greystone church and Korpo Local Museum on Kyrklandet.

Korpo’s guest harbours are well-known among boaters. In addition to these, Korpo offers a wide range of accommodations in charming, idyllic hotels, B&Bs and rental cottages. In the summer, the Archipelago Trail runs right across Kyrklandet.

7 11. Houtskär Body and soul need a break? Houtskär is the place for you.Come take in the silence, nature and lovely village landscapes. Photo: Katri Lehtola Photo:

Houtskär has many charming little villages, such as Sights and services Hyppeis and Brändö, both of which are renowned for • Visit Houtskar (visithoutskar.fi) their beautiful boathouses. Brändö is also known for • Visit Pargas (visitpargas.fi) its sheep. Houtskär enjoys great natural diversity - the abundance of plant species and rare flowers will Location and connections surprise and enchant you, especially in the spring. • Ferry traffic (ferry.fi) Houtskär’s lush forests are chock full of berries and • Bus, car and ferry traffic (visitpargas.fi) mushrooms. Indeed, when you go out picking in • The Archipelago Trail (visitpargas.fi) the autumn, you are sure to come home with a full • Guest harbours (visitpargas.fi) basket.

Admire the spectacular view of Åland from the > Explore more the Southwest Coast and Borgberget observation tower. The observation Archipelago of Finland (visitkimitoon.fi) tower is a popular spot for watching migratory birds > Watch a video of the new routes in the area and ideal for stargazing when night falls. (youtube.com) > Visit Salo (visitsalo.fi) Today, roughly two hundred permanent residents > Visit Kimitoön (visitkimitoon.fi) live in Houtskär. During holidays, its population > Visit Pargas (visitpargas.fi) swells with a a large number of holiday residents. > National Parks (nationalparks.fi) There were likely Swedish settlements in Houtskär as far back as the 1200s. Indeed, many of the present-day villages can trace their roots back to the Middle Ages.

In Houtskär, visitors can indulge themselves with sauna and yoga all year round. You can choose to stay in a B&B, rental cottage or hotel, or even take a holiday on a sheep farm. In Mossala, you can stay in a campground or caravan park and take the ferry to Iniö from there. The popular Archipelago Trail, which can be done by bike, bus or car, passes through Houtskär in the summer.

This guide was produced as part of the Coastal Bootcamp project 2018–2021. The joint development project was funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). The project partners are the municipality of Kimitoön, the town of Pargas, Yrityssalo and Metsähallitus.

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